The latest film from director Hirokazu Koreeda, who won awards in 1995 at Venice Film Festival (Golden Osella Award) for "Maboroshi no hikari," 1999 Golden Montgolfiere Award of the Nantes Three Continents Festival for "Wonderful Life, akak After Life"), among many others. All cuts were filmed on hand-held cameras, with natural lighting, and most of the acting was ad-libbed by today's hottest young Japanese actors.